Ace stared wide-eyed at Luffy, who was chuckling with a mischievous grin.
"Th-that was insane…" Sabo took a step back, still in shock.
They were still young, and had never seen true strength before.
What Luffy had just displayed was enough to let him run rampant through the entire Goa Kingdom.
In other words, Luffy already possessed the power to destroy a nation.
"How was that? Impressive, right?" Luffy beamed proudly, a complete contrast to the overwhelming pressure he had just exuded.
"I-It was amazing…" Ace couldn't believe it, this kid who lived in the same house as him, someone three years younger, was this powerful?
"Then let's be friends!" Luffy reached out his hand again, offering it with a bright, springlike smile.
"W-why? What's your goal in doing this?" Ace no longer believed Luffy was after their treasure.
Someone that strong didn't need to steal anything. His strength was his reason.
But still, Ace couldn't understand why Luffy wanted to befriend them.
"Goal? What goal do I need? You and I are both Grandpa's grandsons. We're brothers, right? Isn't it natural for us to get along?"
Luffy said it so casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
But that ordinary explanation hit Ace right in the heart.
The word "brother" deeply shook the walls around his long-shut heart.
All his life, he had only ever heard curses and hatred. But now, for the first time, he realized… he had family.
"Do you… want me to stay alive?" Ace asked in a hushed, trembling voice.
"Of course I do!" Luffy answered instantly.
Ace shook his head, a little dejected. "No… You don't get it…"
"I do!" Luffy said, his tone suddenly playful. "Gramps already told me everything!"
"What?!" Ace looked at Luffy in shock. "You knew? Then why would you still…"
Luffy looked a little melancholic, then smiled faintly.
"So what? You're still Garp's grandson. You're still my brother, aren't you?"
"You…" Ace's voice caught in his throat.
Sabo, meanwhile, was completely confused. "What are you two even talking about? Ace, what's going on?" he asked, concerned.
"Ace," Luffy said gently, "You don't have to care what some people think. Not everyone will accept you. But that's okay. All you need to know… is that someone out there needs you.
I need you.
Sabo needs you.
Grandpa Garp needs you.
Even Dadan and her gang, though they grumble all the time, they really do care about you. You're family to them."
It was a strange thing to say, serious, heartfelt, and it left Ace speechless.
Tears slowly welled in Ace's eyes and began falling freely.
Sabo didn't know what had triggered the tears, but he knew what to do.
He stepped up and wrapped an arm around Ace's shoulders.
"Yeah, Ace. I need you too," he said with a grin.
Ace didn't know why, but the tears wouldn't stop. They poured down his cheeks like a waterfall, completely out of control.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
That night…
The sky was pitch black, but filled with stars, like pearls scattered across a jade plate.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?! Ace! Luffy! Who the hell is this kid?! Why is there another brat in the house?!"
Inside Dadan's house, she was shouting with bulging eyes, glaring at Ace and Luffy.
But Sabo, unfazed, confidently stepped forward and slapped his hand into hers like a handshake.
"Hey! You must be Dadan. Nice to meet you, I'm Sabo."
Dadan furrowed her brow, cigarette dangling from her lips, giving Sabo a troubled look.
"So you're the little troublemaker I've heard about…"
"Is that so? I heard Dadan was an old hag," Sabo quipped back, grinning.
"You little punk!" Veins popped on Dadan's forehead.
And just like that… Sabo was officially part of the household.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
After dinner, just as they were about to rest, Ace suddenly pointed at Zoro, who was lying in the corner.
"Uh… who's that?"
"Oh, don't worry about him. He's my partner. He's currently in training and needs to sleep for ten years."
"Uh…"
A cold sweat trickled down both Ace and Sabo's foreheads.
They glanced at the sleeping Luffy, then looked at each other and had the same thought:
Luffy being this strong is weird enough… but now his underling's even weirder…
Maybe… being weird is the shortcut to getting strong?
They locked eyes and nodded silently in agreement.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
The next morning.
Ace and Sabo woke up early.
Despite it being Sabo's first night at Dadan's, he adjusted immediately, rising naturally alongside Ace as if it were routine.
Just as they reached the living room, they heard a gruff voice shout:
"Luffy, I brought the booze you asked for! What the hell are you planning?!"
A tall bandit stood in the doorway, carrying a massive jug of alcohol.
He looked utterly defeated inside. These days he wasn't robbing anyone, he was babysitting, doing laundry, cooking, and cleaning.
And now? He was even buying liquor for kids…
"I'm seriously not living the mountain bandit life anymore," he muttered internally.
"Coming! Thanks, old man!" Luffy ran over and took the jug off his hands.
"N-no problem at all!" The bandit stammered, not daring to upset Luffy.
After all, the prey Luffy brought back each day was even bigger than Ace's.
Watching Luffy walk away with the jug of alcohol, the bandit thought to himself: What terrifying little monsters…
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Deep in the valleys of Mt. Colubo.
Luffy placed the jug and three cups onto a stone pedestal.
"Ace, Sabo, you're probably wondering why I brought you out here, huh?"
Both looked confused.
They hadn't even eaten breakfast yet.
"Ace. Sabo. You both want to be pirates, right?"
"Of course!" they replied without hesitation.
"Then how about joining my pirate crew? I'm going to become the world's strongest man!"
"No way!" they replied in perfect sync again.
"It's better to carve our own paths," Ace said, eyes burning with ambition. "One day, Luffy, I'll surpass you!"
"That's right!" Sabo said, clenching his fists.
"I'll lead my own crew, explore the vast world, and write a book about everything I see!"
Their dreams burned bright in the morning air.
So you're walking your own paths, huh? Well… I won't stop you then. Luffy thought with a quiet smile.
He stepped up to the stone pedestal, uncorked the jug, and poured three cups.
"In that case… looks like we're all setting out to sea separately."
Luffy raised his cup.
"You guys know what this is, right? This is our sake of brotherhood. Once we drink this… we're brothers."
"Brothers…?" Ace and Sabo froze, then broke into wide smiles.
They stepped forward and each picked up a cup.
"Even if we're not on the same ship when we become pirates…We'll still be brothers!" Luffy said.
"No matter where we go or what we do, that bond can never be broken."
Ace followed.
Sabo lifted his cup.
"Then from today on, we're brothers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
==========
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